


Bracing Dawn

by amartin22



Category: Futuristic - Fandom, Mega Cities, Sci-fy - Fandom
Genre: Body Guard, Character Death, F/M, Futuristic, Horror, Mega Cities - Freeform, Multi, Nobility, Revolution, Sci-Fy, Science Experiments, Science Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-08
Updated: 2017-06-14
Packaged: 2018-11-10 22:32:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11135997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amartin22/pseuds/amartin22
Summary: Overpopulation became a problem on Proxima. And instead of building upwards, the people began to burrow, each country burying their working class into man-made underground cities called catacombs.At the center of each major country on Proxima were Mega Cities, approximately 100 miles in diameter. They were central hubs of trade and commerce but as the wealthy grew richer, the poor were permanently pushed down to live in the network of tunnels of metal and concrete below.Then the arrogance of the upper class festered when splicing came into light. Unbeknownst to the country of Calvos where it originated, the country of Salbot had a sudden thirst for conquest and began pushing toward weaponizing splicing, combining human D.N.A. with that of an animal, without fully comprehending the total side effects.A deeply religious country Kouln (Puritans) heard the horrific tales and were utterly appalled to hear such godlessness confirmed. The Puritans, as they’d dubbed themselves, were furious and demanded action for the tampering of the human bloodline. This triforce power struggle plunged the surface into a most fragile cold war. One wrong move is all it'll take.





	1. Grounders

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Our fans who followed us through our Fanfiction](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Our+fans+who+followed+us+through+our+Fanfiction).



> Hi, Amartin22 and Varikai here. It's going to be our first project on something that isn't fanfiction...so here we go! 
> 
> This will be a sci-fi short novel on...well...that's in the summary, don't want to ruin it. 
> 
> ; )

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's a song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGlEZpOVjGo  
> We'll post one each chapter for inspiration.

**[More detailed intro]**

**Populations grew too great to handle on the planet Proxima. And instead of building upwards, the people began to burrow, each country burying their working class into man-made underground cities called catacombs. Constructed of mostly metal and concrete flooring, they served as foundations for the skyscrapers and buildings above.**

 

**Each country followed this practice. At the center of each country were Mega Cities, spanning almost 100 miles in diameter. They were central hubs of trade and commerce but as the wealthy grew richer, the poor were permanently pushed down to live in the network of tunnels below, mining materials, working the mills, providing their means for making ends meet.**

 

**The underground blossomed into it’s own culture; with schools, apartments, restaurants, markets and even parks. Depending on the successes and functionality of each country, the quality of life would vary. Unfortunately, more often than not, crime flourished in the underground. The pleas of the lower class fell upon deaf ears. It was easy to ignore that which was hidden. This bred a jaded divide between the surface and the underground dwellers…**

 

 **The arrogance of the upper class festered in the dark corners of the surface. In the country of Calvos, the Nobles (as the upper class began to call themselves, dividing into their respective family dynasties) became obsessed with furthering their evolution. Anything to rise above the rest of humanity. They began to Splice themselves with animals. This was sought to be a purely cosmetic endeavor; making them appear god-like and otherworldly. This service was offered to those who were alys exclusively.** **  
**  


**Eventually, they employed a neighboring country to help develop the technology further. Unbeknownst to the Calvos… their neighbor had other plans. The country of Salbot was one of scientific progress. The recent family in power had a sudden thirst for conquest and began pushing toward weaponizing splicing, without fully comprehending the total side effects of what they’d already achieved. People from the underground began to go missing and hushed panic began to spread, teeming with conspiracy.** **  
** **Tensions grew once a few of the kidnapped splices began escaping back into the catacombs. Across the globe, the deeply religious country Kouln (Puritans) heard the horrific tales and were utterly appalled to hear such godlessness confirmed. Calvos and Salbot denied any foul play with their work, but the unspoken bitterness each held for the other was becoming increasingly obvious.**

 

**People who paraded for humanity remaining pure began to appear, predominantly underground. Propaganda spread like wildfire, recounting tales of horrific abominations that terrorized the surface and the catacombs. Whispers of a beastly army being bread hummed in the crowds.**

 

**A faction from the Kouln country was born. The Puritans as they’d dubbed themselves, were furious and demanded action. This triforce power struggle plunged the surface into the most fragile of cold wars. One wrong move… and the casualties would be vast...**

 

 

 

 

 

**\---------------------------------------------**

The clock displayed on his visor indicated it getting close to sunset on the surface. After attaching the helmet, the overhead vacuum sealed his suit. Even underground, the solar heat alone was enough for beads of sweat to travel across his brow. The sun above baked the ground level and it could be felt right below. It was time to leave, the sun should be setting and the harmful rays should be gone within a few minutes.

With a carbon-fiber under-armor, and malleable metal plates that allowed flexibility and damage control, his power suit would protect him from disease, pathogens, and even bullets. But it won’t be able to withstand the brute force from any weapon or fall.

In the underground, it was an attempted copycat of the surface. Everywhere the eye could see were fields of buildings, skyscrapers, and torn down factories in the underground. This dark, damp place was partially lit thanks to solar panels placed above the ground. Grey, he remembered, grey was the only color he would see here down here when it was properly lit, and always had a musky smell. There was no need to color underground since it would always stay dark, in a way.

Finishing up a job, he allowed his visor to scan across the city populous, just checking to make sure his last contact made it home safely. He saw the contact, a young man, looking around far below, then checking the address on the piece of paper that was handed to him. Then he was called out by a voice from the market near the underground court square, it was an older woman. She raced out to him, voice wailing as she tackled him and hugged. They both stood in the center of the square, people moved around them to continue their business.

The man was about to hop down from the rooftop but then his visor rang. He answered it quickly, pausing before he spoke.

"Carter" a mousey man stuttered on the other line.

Carter grunted, his boss-connection to the topside, "What."

"Hey! u-uh... buddy?" Timothy's pathetic voice called from the line. He spoke hushed as if he might be heard by unwelcome ears.

"Speak," Carter ordered, he was not one for idle chat from that man.

"Look, man... I-I'm in deep shit... the fuckin fancy freaks dude... They... u-uh... I might need your help with somethin..."

"I'm halfway on the other side," Carter moved his mouth closer to the speaker in his helmet, "Where are you?"

"I'm in Calvos. I fucked up, dude. They sent me in under cover and I missed one. I'm not a hunter, dude. I need you. I'm c-calling in that favor."

Favor...why that. Carter paused for a moment, he hated being in anyone's debt, but that's how he got in this in the first place. "I’m on my way. Don't fucking talk to those nobles until I get there, Carter out."

As he neared the upper levels of the planet, he found an uneasy air around him. He paused, waiting before opening an abandoned hatch to the surface. If….if he fucked this up, it could prove fatal. He slowly opened the door and light sprang from the opening. It wasn’t sunlight, but artificial light. The city lights above ground were very luminescent compared to down below.

The night sky was hidden, it was far too bright to see even one star in the sky.

But the surface, it dazzled in its massive greenhouse domes and futuristic architecture. Painted with colors that changed when sunlight hit the walls of the skyscrapers; the surface glistened in it’s last few minutes of dusk.

 

The greatest marvel and more mysterious part of this world were the three suns that could be seen chasing each other in the sky; with the red dwarf being the largest star due to closest proximity. But it was now dusk and all of them have since settled into the night, not to be seen directly at this hour.

Restored forests, fields, and beaches all in a paradisiacal landscape decorated the glass domes on top of the skyscrapers. Even the ground level streets were clean, organized. Fresh stalls of steak, pork chops, and sweet scents covered Carter's filter and some of the aromas were filtered through, making his stomach hiss. He ignored that thought; though more crime happened underground, the surface was what he feared….the less time here the better.

He was stopped at the customs gate to his destination. Every known surface entrance that they had in the upper city was directed to gates immediately to be checked. Like immigration customs, you provided I.D. and stated your purpose, if they didn’t believe you, you’d be put back in the ground…in a matter of speaking. Especially if you were caught lying.

The man, Carter, was let through on his, not yet expired, work visa.

"Where are you headed." a guard demanded.

"Work, I'm here on the behalf of the noble family," Carter stated clearly. He gave them his keycard for identification. It wasn't exactly a lie, he did work for them on very, very, rare occasions. And all jobs through them were held in absolutely privacy between him and the family so he would under no circumstance be forced to explain himself except to the nobles.

"Alright. I'll take you to court... but you'll have to find your contact within 12 hours or we'll escort you back down."

They drove him to a shining city at the center of the town. All sorts of slender off-breed humans walked around in lavish designs. Humans with leopard spots, humans with filed teeth, some with hunched legs. It was a splice country.

Carter paused, checking out a few, with a blank-absent mind. Vanity and greed wasn’t anything new. The car stopped, and he was lifted out and then presented before a member of nobility.  

A women-like creature with pointed ears and large golden eyes approached him. Her long, golden kimono trailed behind her as servants held it just above the ground.

"You... You are the associate of a Timothy? That he’s asked for?"

He nodded, "I'll be out of your hair soon. I won’t cause trouble." He showed any nobility respect.

"I certainly hope not." she said, eyeing him. She walked carefully as servants surrounded them and escorted them to the gardens.

A larger woman sat regally beneath a gazebo. Her hair resembled the mane of a lion, gilded with jewels and a gaudy head dress. She stood, everyone else bowing deeply. Continuing to keep an eye out, he took a short bow, addressing her.

She nodded, allowing everyone to rise slowly.

"You are 'carter' yes?"

He stepped forward, sidestepping a bit out of habit and nodded.

He still wore the power suit, and his mask stayed on during his transition here. The woman had a glint of irritation, thinking he was too good to smell their fresh air, this was an insult.

"Please..." she said, offering him a seat. The servants looked mildly disgusted that she was allowing him to sit and touch... anything.

He calmly took a seat. His visors kept tracking face signatures for Timothy. "...where the hell are you," he muttered.

"I hear you are quite a skilled bounty hunter..." She eyed him, still a bit irritated that he kept his helmet on.

"Only through the graces of the nobility was I allowed to be here, so the honor's theirs," he regurgitated the information, knowing the proper way to address them. "But yes. I do have satisfactory reports of capturing targets and bringing them back."

"Splendid..." she said, snapping.

Bound and gagged, Timothy was dragged out and thrown down in the courtyard. The guards cocked their weapons, at the ready.

"We do not tolerate failure here." she said smoothly, sipping her tea.

He made no effort to retrieve the man, no sudden movements. "I understand the contract. I will take his and finish the job, provided he stays safe."

"Wonderful." she smiled slyly. "Now." She snapped again, a file being presented to her.

"I'm sure you understand the turmoil being caused by the underground movement, the Sabbat..." she sighed.

"They stole our Splicing technology and began experimenting for weaponizable reasons. We could not condone the abominations being produced, especially with our neighboring countries in chaos over the ethical side of this. We merely see it as evolution."

"One of our own seemed to have other plans... He organized a court of his own. Our sources discovered him building a small army to overthrow the court and completely throw things into chaos. Several of his disciples were from the lower regions no less..."

With a small pause, only to show her that he had been listening, he spoke. "What are your orders."

"This group... The Toreadors... They were led by Louston, the Baron. Him and his 12 followers have been disposed of, save for one." She opened the file to show a photo of a girl, pale and soft. Her deepened green eyes were so rich that they seemed unnatural.

Carter looked once, and only once for she was beautiful. That struck in his mind, she won’t be hard to forget or track down.

"She's the target?" he looked back up, pretending to sound surprised at this. She was hardly threatening, she didn't even appear to have any implants to enhance her physical strengths. Must have known something.

"She has information that will be the key to bringing down the Sabbat.”

Knew it, he hypothesized.

She continued, “They have new technologies that have given their people extraordinary abilities... We have been led to believe she not only is one of them... she has been implanted with a few new features. Obtenebration... possible venom." she said, disgusted. "These people have lost their humanity and would sooner surrender into complete animosity. They've abandoned civility."

"Report the last known location and I'll be on my way. What of Timothy?"

"The deal was the entire group of traitors or his life. Bring her back within two weeks and we shall honor the agreement. She was last seen in the catacombs... Though, I must warn you..." she sighed. "The Sabbat are hunting her as well. I would be cautious..."

His mouth opened, but thankfully they couldn't see it to know he showed, or rather, knew something was amiss. Everyone was hunting the girl, there was more to this. With a short moment to ponder, he stood and nodded, "I'll honor Timothy's contract and bring the girl."

"I am Bastet." she smiled. "Do not disappoint me." she chimed, signaling for her servants to take him away. One of the courtiers, a man with tabby stripes, stepped up and volunteered.

"Odin, you need not."

"Please, I insist." the man, said, taking her hand and kissing it. she rolled her eyes and waved them off.

Odin and some guards began walking to escort Carter out. He brought himself closer to Carter’s ear.

"I wanted to stress that this girl is to be brought back alive." he said sternly, whispering.

Carter almost asked why bother bringing back a traitor alive when killing is the usual option, especially when information can be leaked. "I'm not here to question your choices," Carter clearly stated, he wasn't choosing sides. He was choosing to stay out of it.

"And unharmed.... and... un-spoiled..." he said.

He never budged, without the helmet, his face would remain stoic, avoid of emotion. "And should I find her already 'spoiled'," he emphasized.

"...she is cunning... hence why she escaped in the first place. She is also very dangerous, so I wouldn't recommend getting close enough to 'spoil' anything..." he said, seeming a little conflicted in his demands.

"Well," he looked at the man, "No one I've ever brought back has ever come willingly. Plus," he began detaching the gun that's auto locked to his back, "you can't outsmart a bullet." He made sure to show the box of ammunition, it was nonlethal.

The man was visibly tense, but for whatever reason, didn’t express anything verbally. The three of them saw him off at the gate.

"Should you have any trouble navigating once you've found her..." he said quietly. "Here is my card... call this number and I shall have a safe house arranged for the two of you. I have many friends in the lower catacombs..."

"Understood," Carter spoke earnestly, sure they were considerate, when it was in their best interests. He stepped into the elevator but paused mid-step. "I have one last question, and if it's out of place I won't expect an answer. But it may help bring her back."

The man quirked a brow, tossing his hair.

"Why'd she leave? This life of luxury and comfort. Why go through hell."

"....Well. When the high Countess orders the execution of your husband... I'd imagine anyone would run." he said with a bit of venom in his tone.

\------------------------------------------------------------

The night sky became clouded with smog from the exhaust released from the air vents. They would constantly cycle the co2 poisoned gas and would then be filtered to separate the appropriate percentage of 02. But the stars would often be covered within the city, but during dusk was when one could truly see any beauty on this planet.

With twilight gone Carter traveled down to the ground level and took the transit. The train was compact, filled with an overbearing stench of sweat from factory workers.

Even when keeping to himself, his power suit was both an eye grabber and alarm. These suits were given to those who worked close to nobility, producing envy and worry from any middle or lower class civilians.

No one wanted to be mixed up. So even in a cramped space the crowd pushed outward on each other to space themselves from him. He never budged, no need to cause alarm even if just reaching for his flashlight.

His eyes traveled towards the floor, there was a boy covered in sludge or grease, possibly came from the same factory as his parent, who was nowhere to be found. Carter paused, hesitating reaching out or asking who he was but the boy held a piece of paper in his hand. His visors analyzed a piece and pulled up the full image because it matched the portion he could see. In all caps was a phrase

[PURITY IS A LIE. EVOLVE. JOIN US AND BE REBORN.] Salvos Propaganda.

Now taking notice, above on the ceiling of the train were posters of red hues and bold black letters stating the same thing, down with Puritans.

Carter felt uneasy. He started getting looks from all the other passengers. Perhaps they thought he was working for Puritan nobility. He kept a firm hand on his side arm. The kid, who had been eyeing him this time disappeared. An abrupt stop was announced by the conductor, and as soon as the doors opened he slipped out and into the crowds with a cloak overhead. Mist poured everywhere from loose pipes and rusted water heaters.

Down the rusted sidewalks, he hopped over several potholes to prevent tripping over in the dark. The ground level was a hazard the farther one traveled from the central hub. Less and less buildings were being managed according to how far away they were from the city's central. The nobility claimed it was to save resources, but there were plenty of things that could be salvaged, but it wasn't the first time he's doubted the nobility from either side.

With clouds of mist covering his rear end, Carter checked once more. No one willingly enters the sewers, much less the catacombs beneath the city. More than the city's fair share of mistakes laid below. With a final check, he opened a hatch and descended into the planet.

A warning light came on in his helmet.

[Warning: your entering the lower levels of Proxima, please surface when possible. Warning---]

Carter cut off the messages, he knew very well the warnings of being down here, and he didn't need anything else as a distraction.

The Personal Assisting Pathfinder, or P.A.P, was his guiding sensor.

He focused on the corridors, checking left and right at the first crossing. Even though people still lived down here, he specifically picked an opening that hardly anyone would enter or live under. This place was infested with rats, and his suit was more than capable to handling such.

A blue light highlighted the pathway in his helmet like a map, aiding his eyes for any pitfalls or dropoffs. He could even see cracks that suggested the ground floor was taking its fair share of stress from the buildings above.

The Catacombs where an attachment, the poor who couldn't afford to live up high or on the ground, were forced down here, but it was hard to imagine that they were able to carve through metal sheets that existed in the sewers. His mind wandered, keeping sharp ears and eyes forward.

It would make a three hours journey to reach the catacombs. The first hour passed quickly, and thankfully his legs were well rested from being seating at the noble's gathering.

As the metal walls began to warp, forming more complex shapes as they must have sustained more pressure here than normal, he heard crunching.

With each step, his metal boots picked up traces of organic matter and acidic gases.

Carter made sure to keep the stun gun at his side, locked instead of at the ready. Below at his feet, were rats, dozens of them. They were all on their backs, like they perished from some internal source.

Assuming they suffocated from the gas leak, he made sure to hastily make his way through. His suit would cycle air from the outside, but once it detected harmful chemicals or elements in the air, it would automatically seal tight and cut off all outside access, allowing a limited time to make it towards a safe destination.

The brisk walk quickly turned into a jog, this was now a timed event. He had about 10 minutes to travel a 30 minute walk.

He couldn't rush, or fear walking into a literal dead end.

He had to keep a steady pace and give the sensors time to pick up the pathways and detect dead ends. He was now searching for the closest hatch, not caring where it lead as long as it wasn't here, or outside.

Another warning came on, even though he turned them off.

The air was turning yellow, forming droplets on his helmet, he then heard screeching. Hundreds of rats were running towards him from the opposite direction. He couldn't turn back so instead he took a left, not knowing where it would lead but ignored P.A.P. and sprinted.

A hatch was located near the end, rusted as hell. Carter wasted no time, he lifted a boot kicked the handle, it busted a piece of the handle. He cursed, pulling all his weight into the handle and turned the circular door handle that had partially rusted off.

The screaming increased, he could hear thousands of small rodents now headed towards him. He picked up the pace, straining his suit and now resorting to raw force to budge it. Something cracked, and air hissed into the hallway. He saw rats killing each other in a frenzy trying to get ahead, going mad with desperation to escape.

Then a louder hissing noise, followed by a massive mist of clean-damp air exploded from the seals of the door. Carter opened it only a slit and shoved himself inside, scraping his suit against the metal.

A few rats managed to escape too as he noticed yellow plumes of smoke slithering their way into the empty room.

He closed the door behind him, sealing everything else on the other side. His suit still had the warning sign, it wasn't safe yet. The air that was released from his room was finite and tainted from opening the door. Trapped in a room that had four doors, one on each end, he picked the only one that would be possible. The others barely had a handle left. He did the same procedure as before but this time, the door didn't halt, it was much easier to rotate and open from the outside. With a quick hop, he went to the other side and closed it again. Finally, the warning disappeared, and the suit opened its vents to cycle the overdose of CO2 in the container.

But the walls, either though being rushed or unobservant were different. These walls had writings, or drawings. All were depictions of clouds, and warning messages. Then they all pointed to the door where he was at.

"Hmmm," he nodded, knowing at least those who lived down here were smarter to not mistake this door for any exit.

He took a seat, allowing the PAP to once again choose the correct path towards the location he would find most favorable for locating her. The map said he was in the region, but there were no specifics.

Out of the corner of his eye, Carter could see more and more murals of drawings and handprints, some were small, like children’s.

He wanted to take a moment, taking pictures and storing them in his hard drive in the helmet. They were for a more personal reason, but was done quickly. One image in particular showed a large sphere, and some rectangular object above the surface. And that image kept repeating over and over again in the other drawings. Some of them showed the rectangle surrounded by red flames, and then some had the rectangle on the sphere where it stopped burning, but then that was it.

"Hmm," he observed, but then tripped, catching his fall with the other leg. His hand pushed back, but then he jumped, leaning towards the wall.

There was a corpse sitting against this wall, but there was blood. It's been here recently, like in the past few days. The body has been scratched, or sliced with a blade of some sort. Could have been rats though. If you'd ever got wounded or paused for too long in the wrong part of the underground, they'd swarm. Few elders and young were lost, roaming the wrong parts of these corridors. He could have taken a nap for too long, but then that thought was pushed out. This man was left alone after these wounds were made. There was nothing here to indicate he was being eaten, only that he was attacked. He needed to keep moving, recording one picture of the man he left behind.

As he wandered into the more civilized parts of the underground, he began to see a few shops in shanty concrete houses. These buildings were built up into an entire city with columns upon columns of homes and shops. The city bustled with life. He was a few yards away from the inn where the girl was last seen.

Carter made sure to keep his hood pulled overhead, this lively place could hate his type, but he wasn't leaving without a lead.

He pulled inside, not making any unnecessary gestures but also more fluid than before, less robotic, more casual.

A bald man stood at the bar, cleaning his post

Carter sighed, he sat near at the bar, looking away.

"The air gets thicker here by the day's," Carter commented, making purposeful small talk.

The mad smiled with forced amusement, pouring him a drink and sliding it to him.

Carter took it, appearing to drink under the hood but took no sip. He set it to the side, giving the man a small vial, a small letter meant it was medicine, not great, but of a suitable off brand.

"I never could stand it here...but we all get used to it. It was bad enough here without those nobles moving there dirty business down here. Now.." Carter pretended to take another sip. "I need to find someone," he lowered his voice, not to a whisper, but more vocal to lighten to mood. "This person I’m looking for needs help." That was a part lie, he had no idea what state she was in.

Carter had a folded piece of paper, a copy he took of the girl with green eyes, pale skin. He hid the folded piece of paper under his glass and slid it to the man. "I....just wish I could find her, bring her home."

The bartender smirked. "Maybe. A doll like that wouldn't last long around here. Girls like that get snatched by those lizard freaks. They're all dying for dames."

"Where can I find that bad side of town, I'd imagine not many venture there."

The bartender leaned in. "You didn't hear from me, but there's been talk about a ransom for some politician’s daughter in the grain plant. Never said which politician though….in the grain plant."

Carter had a grim thought, "The grain plant...they're taking ransoms?"

"When a broad falls down there, they rarely ever see the light of day again. Not without proper payment. It’s an easy to get lost and stay lost if you don't know where you're going. So all those rich mommies and daddies will pay top dollar to get their babies back. If it were my money, I’d bet you'd find your little girl there at the plant."

"She ain't mine," he smiled, though all the bartender could see was a shadow casted from the hood. "Thank you, for your...advice." he slid one more vial of medicine to barter the information for and stood up, leaving his drink untouched.

The bartender scoffed, taking the medicine and pocketing it.

"Alright, PAP, locate nearest grain plant," he whispered in his helmet. The closest location was four miles away, but in the underground, every uncharted or unfamiliar mile was risky. He kept to himself in the crowds, minding his space. All his equipment was holstered down, and magnetically attached to his suit. There were several stalls and vendors offering their goods.

As he approached the plants that processed the food for the surface he found the people grittier, rougher... the grain plant was incredibly loud. Men stood around on their breaks, smoking and eating. He checked for bodyguards, surrounding a tent, or someone in particular. He needed to find a leader.

The men all stared intently... he suddenly had a sense of unwelcome.

He lowered his head, ".....great." He made sure his weapon was on standby. He traveled towards the closest tent that had the body guards.

"I've come to barter." Carter announced, talking directly to the group of men. They all looked up from pouring over a map, a few reaching for weapons. One of the men, a tall red haired man, stood and had them all stand down.

"Barter? Barter what, grain?"

"No." He kept his hands at his side, "Blood. I need to find someone, someone of nobility. If she's not here, I'll just leave." He took a step back, either way, he needed to watch his back.

"...interesting. maybe you would know something about our little stow away? Please..." he gestured to a chair

"I'm good," he stood firm. "I first need to verify that the person you have, that it's who I'm looking for. Don't need to waste your time otherwise." That, and he was still on borrowed time.

"Hm... that might be her... with a bath and some polish. There's a matted little street urchin locked in the store room. Well, we assumed she was just a street urchin. Then we saw those eyes. Girls a splice. People around here aren't very...fond of those. So we locked her in there for safe keeping until we could decide who would pay more. The surface, or the resistance.”

"It'll cost you more to keep her. But once again, I'll need to see her."

Caleb turned on a tv, showing a girl, tattered and dirty, trying to escape

Carter examined the video, as if unsure. "It doesn't look like her..."

"Well... if you want a closer look... just know you're being watched." He said low. The men all cocked their weapons. "...closely." He walked up to Carter. "I'm Caleb. The owner here..."

He glanced at him, nodding at his introduction. "Now show me this girl."

He nodded, the group of men escorting him down to the depths of the plant. The lights hummed with fluorescent dullness... as they approached the door, they heard growling and screaming, the girl banging things around and trying to break the room.

Caleb stopped in front of a one-way window, observing her. She was fast and twitchy, moving and crawling all over the space.

"Are we allowed to talk?"

There was a loud bang as the girl slammed up against the mirror, sniffing and growling bestially, the men pointing their guns. "...you can try." Caleb scoffed. "See... what they don't tell you about these... splices..." he sighed. "If they go hungry... thirsty... these primitive genes kick in and... well..." he gestured to the violent display.

"Then feed her," he bluntly requested. "If she's more of a hassle hungry why make it harder and starve her." Carter picked something from his small container pouch, it was a piece of bread or candy. It was prepackaged. "May I give this to her? I'll be able to get a closer look at those eyes. Then I'll leave if I know it’s not her."

"See we tried that." He sighed. "Though... maybe..." he said, thinking. "Hey Smith! Go get some of those rats!" Caleb shouted. The man who responded, groaned. "This won't work. She'll just tear them up like everything else. Fucking freak..." he grumbled, walking over to a cage trap full of rats

He fiddled with the lock, the girl’s attention snapping to the small doggie door. She scurried over to it and lashed out, violently clawing at Smith. He jumped back, cursing and quickly opening the cage, the rats running in. The entire crew watched as she twisted them open and ate them alive, panting loudly and purring low.

"Well," Carter walked closer, "Let's see if she likes the taste of metal." He walked over to the door.

"Careful, stranger." Caleb chuckled.

Carter opened the lock, holding his weight against the door. He threw in the candy bar, hoping the idea it could be live prey was enticing.

She suddenly lashed out of the doggy door, gripping his ankle and pulling his leg inside. The men all shouted, pulling Carter out of the room, bite marks on his suit. They threw more rats inside as they laughed at Carter.

Carter grabbed another bar, this time taking off a piece of his armor and took out a blade. He sliced his skin, and blood dripped onto the bar. "If she's an animal, she'll smell this." He tried to throw another one in, but watching his ankles. Eat the damn bar, he cursed mentally.

She sniffed it, seeming less violent after a few rats. She then unwrapped it and ate it happily, licking her fingers.

"I'll be damned..." Caleb chuckled.

"Alright, I'll be by later to pick her up. What's your price for the animal?"

"Resistance is offering a few thousand. " he scoffed.

Carter placed his hand upon the handle of her door to support his weight, "or you can hand her to someone who doesn't want you dead. You have a noble shackled to this room. The ones that I work with aren't forgiving. I currently have only 1,000 credits. But,” he warned, “If others come, they'll leave a mess. They don't think kindly of others down here."

Caleb thought for a moment...

"Hell no. Boss, the resistance offered way more!" The men all protested. Caleb eyes stayed fixed on carter ad he thought...

Carter kept his mind clear... Those tranquilizing pills will start to take effect in a couple of minutes, 30 min if she fought. He had a backup plan...but it could be trouble. More than he hoped for.

Caleb smirked. "Alright, fine. The past has set me back a few thousand in production anyway. You'd be doing me a favor. Don’t need any more noble on my turf."

The men all protested but hushed when Caleb glared at them. There was a small thud as the girl fell over in the room, her head hitting the floor hard.

Carter was glad no one saw the girl fall, all of them fixated on the conversation. He then grabbed the door handle.

Caleb caught it. "Wait." He took a muzzle from his pocket and tossed it to him. "Just in case."

"That won't be necessary, I'll just need to leave before she wakes up again. She’s out cold now." Carter opened the lock door.

They all laughed. "Your funeral." Caleb scoffed. "Everyone back to work!!"

Carter walked in calmly, closing the door behind him. They all dispersed, a few staying behind to escort him out. The girl was frail, despite the claim that she was from the surface. She had long dark hair, standing at about 5'4". Her skin was very pale. He lifted her over his shoulder, hopping in his step a little bit.

"Approximately 58 kilograms. Alright, I'll have to adjust my pace accordingly. PAP, open up alternate pathway back to closest exit." He kept a close watch on his back, the others who didn't agree with Caleb's plan wouldn't be bothered at all to take him.

[[PF SCAN: AIR DUCT ON LEFT QUADRANT OUTSIDE PLANT ENTRANCE]]

He waited until the guys left, then he snuck over towards that quadrant. He kept a bag over her body, to hide what he was poorly carrying. A few guards at the plant gate entrance looked suspiciously as he passed but did nothing.

He was outside the plant picking up pace when an alarm sounded, but this was an alarm for an intruder.

“Shit…”

 


	2. First Impressions

Carter pushed himself inside a nearby air vent, making sure the girl was in first before more guards from the mill marched the perimeter. Some of the rougher guys burst outside their mill with guns, firing the air to make a scene for those that tripped the alarm. Several bodies dropped as suddenly mill guards were picked clean with stray bullets from the entrance. One by one, red dots attached themselves to the convicted personel before they too were dropped. Most were shot through the skull, usually as they tried to sprint back inside. Those that were heavily armored were taken out by the knees or underarm near any openings in their protection. 

Within short moments of breath, corpses were scattered all across the discolored floor. Colorful red dots danced across the bodies, searching. Some of the men were in warped positions that their bodies had curled into during the last spasms of pain. Mouths were open but the hands clenched in a fixed position.

"FIND THE SPLICE!" Someone shouted.  Carter checked through the vent, using his visor to pick up heat signatures. 

More troops charged inside, decorated with white, metallic armor as they poured into the front gates on the far side. They chucked smoke grenades all the way to the back to blind the occupants still hiding out. 

“Puritans,” Carter’s voice echoed with distaste. 

Now. He needed to leave now before this shit followed him here. He followed the path mapped out in his visor that hugged the back wall and took off, jogging with the girl securely in his grasp. The path was clear until he saw the back doors still locked, and he lacked any keys. 

"For fucks sake," Carter busted down the door with his foot, giving it a few good kicks until the lock around the chain busted and fell off. 

"Alternate route now, PAP!" Carter demanded, the program hesitated, as if loading. “Pathfinder now! Give me another airduct or send me to a lower level. I will not have them follow me back." He heard closer shouting and immediately retreated to the shadows in the smoke, backing up and hiding her behind his back. The troops passed, but he couldn’t tell which ones were the mill and which ones were the intruders. 

He walked quietly after they passed the back gate, not able to see on the other side of the tunnel 15 feet across.  Through a narrow corridor, connected to the tunnel, he could see a clear pathway in the visor just behind the main gate. There was an air vent behind one of the doors. He continued forward, softening his footsteps by softly pressing upon the metal floor.

A few guards blocked the pathway far up ahead, he couldn’t see them, but they were loud. 

"The splice is gone, repeat the splice is gone. All men need to retreat back, the Calvos troops will fill this place within minutes!" The guards cleared out, quickly leaving just as soon as they arrived. He caught a glimpse of Caleb...the man that held the girl hostage...being dragged by two soldiers as they left.

He didn’t wait, incase what he overheard was true. The path behind the gate was barren, the bodies were still sprawled about as the smoke smog thinned out, whispering at his feet. He lowered her body for a moment and took out a tool and then unscrewed the panel behind the gate. It was a premade escape hatch...probably from the millers.

“They won’t be needing it anymore,” Carter told himself. He unlocked the hatch and grabbed the girl’s arms, throwing her over his back. On all fours we crawled in and then pulled the panel back on until it clicked in place. 

The air in here was thick, but thankfully not tainted. He took a few short breaths to get used to the tight quarters and then kept a steady pace. He didn’t have long before she will wake, and he wasn’t sure what state to expect her in when it happened. 

 

After about a 40 minutes crawl, he was at the end of this duct and there was another panel that opened from the inside. He kicked it open, and the metal sheet smacked against the ground. A lot of conversations and bickering echoed the walls. He popped his head out for a seconds a saw empty trading stalls in addition to a few rats, skittering about, nibbling at garbage. He crawled out, then stretched his legs after that cramped duration. There was a lot of bustling about, traders shouting at the top of their lungs to advertise their ‘fresh’ meat selection or special wares. He shook his head, throwing her more securely over his shoulders, as if she simply fallen asleep and wasn’t captured. 

He readjusted his cloak to go over his back, covering her and the hood over her face. He made short time and finally entered one of the popular markets in the underground catacombs. It wasn’t anywhere near as grand as the one in central but this location had a subway that traveled through here to help with transportation of goods. He walked through, looking around at all the pieces of hardware in the stalls, both for suit wearers and soldiers. He wasn’t about to ask where they came from but he noticed armor-piercing ammunition, half off. Must have been fake, he thought. 

He situated the girl after she almost slipped and then nodded upon seeing guards that he couldn’t tell if they were Calvos, city guards, or Puritans. He kept the hoodie over her face, picking her up higher and dropped the cloth to make sure she wasn't showing any skin. He then used his ear piece to make a call. 

There was static then the call was abruptly dropped. He smacked his head piece but then was knocked sideways into a concrete wall as his side visor glowed hot red. Warning sirens blared his front screen, temperature readings were skyrocketing past 500F as a flash of light blinded him from impact. 

An explosion crackled the sky, mixed with screams and flames that scorched the surface of the massive ceiling. Black streaks traveled across the walls were the fire kissed it. 

His readings and the radius of the explosion indicated that a bomb was on the subway when it blew...and it wasn’t the fire that killed so many as his visor turned on the thermal heat signature. He could see many bodies, parts and pieces of them sprawled about, all crushed under the weight of a subway car that toppled over after being punctured from the bomb through it’s side. Civilians all ran for the buildings for cover as the fire spread. The smoke would soon smother those too close in the underground and each building was registered to use an air filter incase of emergencies. Carter’s neck snapped, whipping around as his body tensed up. His armor wasn’t damaged but the blunt force made his head throb. He grew worried, but then remembered the girl. She was laying down, still passed out near the wall. Carter sighed, he must have dropped her before he was slammed into the building. He still needed to perform a check for bruising and burns but it was too risky to expose her downhere. He scooped her back up and took off running, sprinting as soon as his legs agreed to push themselves once more. 

"...can't wait." He ran, taking a path to a downtown alley and mapped a new location. Any inn will do for now. He checked with his visor, looking for the closest one which was about a mile away from the explosion.

A woman ran up to him as he closed in on the front steps. Carter wore the suit of the protectors, so thankfully he appeared to be an innocent bystander and not a culprit. 

"Please!” The woman pleaded. “There's refuge in my in! Your wife will be safe!" She pleaded, gesturing to a nearby building. “I’m getting all those I can inside before I shut my doors!”

 

Carter, the man with a battered suit and woman over his back, entered the inn. "Any room will do, we just need to wait this out." He followed her quickly and quietly. They ran up two flights of stairs.

"Here. Top floor. Lock the doors until it's safe!"

Carter looked back at the woman before closing the door. He lowered his voice, "If you see anyone suspicious coming in those doors. Hide..and if you can, alert the residents here.” She nodded, rushing to save more people. 

The moment he locked the door, he dropped his guard for a moment. His back turned and he saw the room, which was decorated in a gaudy fashion as a honeymoon suite. In silky drapes of purple and dark pink, the furniture was covered in soft-cotton fabric. He leaned closer and thankfully could hear her breathing, it settled his nerves a bit. 

She was laid down into the sheets abruptly before Carter went to the windows, closing the blinds and making the room as dark as possible. No one needs to know we're here, he thought. There was gunfire and screaming outside, people whimpering over the bodies of their loved ones. He had to push it out, all of this, he couldn’t let it sink in yet. They were dead, and that was that. The level of destruction also lead him to believe that it didn't look like it this mess would be resolved anytime soon. 

The girl whimpered a bit, shifting.

Hearing the noises, he placed a chair next to the hotel door, jamming it and stood in front. He held no weapon, just watched incase she went feral. He didn't think, keeping a clear head for now. 

She whimpered a bit and curled up, nuzzling into the blankets and shivering a bit. He checked for his bag but then sighed. He forgot he gave all of his money and supplies to the miller men for her ransome. He instead pulled out the card the splicer gave him and hailed him through a comm. 

The man answered. "This is Odan."

"Odan, this is Carter. I found your woman but it's gonna take longer to get her back. It’ll be days before I can get out. But do not kill Timothy, I have her. Bombing has been reported downtown near the my hotel, close to one of the substations where I’m suspecting a bomb was placed." 

He paused, there was much to say..but what to do now was unclear.

"They won't kill Timothy for another week. So don't rush into something stupid. Bring her back safely..." Odan advised, seeming worried.

Carter paused, almost checking off but then scoffed, turning up his mic for this. 

"I need to have a word with you Odan. Soldiers were searching for your girl, so before I sign off....is there anything else I should know before being hunted down by the goddam Puritans," his voice was bitter. "I knew she was being hunted...but a more heads up would have been adequate." 

"Oh dammit..." Odan sighed. "I forgot about those imbeciles... their following has grown in the underground it seems." There was a pause. " Where is she now...?"

"At a hotel, waking up, whoever had her said she went feral....will feeding her keep her in check...does she need stabilizers?" 

"N-no... just, be gentle. She's very skittish... she--" he stopped, seeming to move and lower his voice. "She's been through a lot."

"So have everyone else....Carter out,” he hung up, checking back over. 

The woman had grabbed a pillow, hugging it tight and sleeping peacefully. She was very dirty, her jaw and clothes converted in grime and dirt, her hair matted and tangled.

Carter looked around...there was nothing else for her to wear, but maybe looking filthy would be best, least likely to give away her nobility. He stood at his post; remaining quiet, not directly looking at her. 

"Conditions stable, drugs have worn off, estimated time to arrival..."  he looked out the window. Plumes of smoke and sobbing cries of women filled the streets, he could see blood splattered on other buildings far off. "....arrival is unknown." 

The woman stirred, her eyes fluttering open... She held her head, trying to sit up. Her eyes were a much brighter green than the photos could ever do justice, having a very subtle glow to them. He pondered, should he speak, or wait. He remained quiet, carefully watching her. He was already planning an alternate route out of this place, they couldn't stay here too long. He also didn't have a lot of money left, not enough to feed both of them. He glanced back. Those green eyes...it'd be easy for her to be caught down here, he needed to use more caution exiting.

He checked outside, then his alarm went up when he saw Calvos soldiers rounding people in the streets, holding their hands above their heads. Then they were black bagged, being dragged off into the working part of the train for departure to who knows where.

The girl then gasped, backing against the headboard, terrified. She held her head, wincing. 

Carter sighed, he drew back from the windows and held up two hands. "Calm." He spoke softly, "Stay calm, we don't need anyone knowing we're here. We'll move, as soon as your mobile. But I need you to calm down first, okay?"

She looked him up and down trembling and flinching every time he moved, recoiling tighter.

He didn't budge, expecting this. "They're rounding people up in the streets, I'm guessing they're picking up splices or witnesses to the explosion. So," he sat down in the chair, " what do you last remember?"

She spoke in a language he didn't understand, cursing. He rolled his eyes, his guidance system PAP translated for him instead.

[TR: {Fuck you, you government pig.}]

"Ah....yes," Carter placed two firm feet upon the ground while in the chair. "Well, I can see why you think that, because of what I’m wearing. Regardless if you understand english, I don’t work for them. You can take your chances with them looking for splicers all over, or you can stay with me so I can take you home." He crossed his arms. 

**[TR:** {I don't know who hired you, but you need to let me go. I- I'm very dangerous!}]

Carter lifted up his leg towards her, showing the bite marks on his suit, "duly noted."

She gasped and covered her mouth, seeming genuinely stoked. Her eyes welled a bit. "I'm sorry..." She said, with a thick accent.

"I was in no danger...from you. But we must be careful now, they know you have escaped. Whether or not they know I'm involved is unclear." She nodded, her head snapping as they heard gunfire. 

"Give yourself to purity, lest you die!" A man shouted, holding a line of men up in the streets. The row of men had hands tied behind their backs, forced to hear the man out.  

"O-oh no..." She whimpered, hugging the pillow tighter. She couldn’t pull herself to look out the window. But then shots were fired and she cried, shaking her head. 

"There are several bars we can wait at, because I don't have enough money to stay here for two weeks. We have to leave here soon," Carter completely ignored the horror going on outside, he knew what his limitations were when it came to acting like a hero. 

"I..c-cannot... see me..." She said, trying speak correctly with her accent. "No see me... th-them. Bad face..." She said, sinking lower behind the pillow.

He walked over to a small recently stocked fridge and kneeled. He pulled out processed bars and water and threw them onto the bed. She took one and quickly unwrapped it, eating it a little more civilly than before but choked a few times. Modestly meant nothing to someone who was starving.

"Last thing we need is to lose you again to that feral state. So you need to inform me when you're hungry. And don't be modest and deny being hungry for the sake of it. Also take a bath after your done eating and stay here. If I do leave, I need you here.” He wasn’t sure if he’d leave, but just in case.

" Who is yours...?" She said softly, frowning.

"Who am I?"

She shook her head. "Who's money is yours. "

"I'm in debt to the nobility, from the splicers. A friend of mine got caught, and now I work for them temporarily."

She backed away a little more, fear growing. "C-Calvos...?"

"I never said I was with them. I'm in debt and I have to work for them. And my current objective is making sure you’re transported home in one piece."

"Some man named Odan was concerned with your wellbeing. But whatever their reasons, I'm sharing this information to build trust."

"Odan..." She said to herself, her voice quivering. "Not good..." She said, looking up at him with pleading eyes. "Please do not... bad people..."

Carter paused, he backed up. "We’ll take this one step at a time, I won’t hand you off to bad people."

"Please promise." She sniffled.

He sighed, "As your bodyguard, I promise I won't willingly let harm come to you. That sufficient?" This situation was getting worse, he knew. But he was trading her life for his contacts and would keep her safe until it was time to give her up. She’d be better off with her people, not down here.

She looked into his eyes a little eerily. He felt a strange... pull towards her stare. The pull seemed to point out how delicate her hands were, how even covered in grime she was... lovely. The pull ceased and she nodded, looking away. 

"Sanura..." She said quietly **.** He nodded behind the visor in his helmet, "You’re not like them, are you?" He asked. She curled up a little tighter, defensively.

Upon seeing her recoil, he changed subjects, "go wash." A towel was tossed over at her feet.  She grabbed it but flinched when she heard something spark. Something in Carter’s helmet made an eerie pitch and sparks flew from his neck. He fell back on his ass and groaned, rolling back over.

"....dammit..."

She squealed and jumped, staring at him.

Temporarily distracted, he tore the helmet off. Dark, charcoal colored hair fell upon his face, some bangs hiding his eyes from her. He even wore a shortly trimmed beard. 

After he set it aside, smoke poured out from the lower jawline inside the carbon-fiber. He began tinkering with the helmet. "For now, my connection to the integrated maps are fried thanks to that. So it means we can get lost.” He thought for moment, she might still be in distress. "This'll happen from time to time, we’ll be alright," he made certain repairs, giving her time to wash up.

He hid his face. 

"I wash..." She said shyly. "N-no see..." she ran into the bathroom and slammed the door.

His hand smacked his face after she left, "no look," he cracked a smile. "Amusing." He didn’t need to be told that, but to her, maybe he looked like he did. 

She turned on the water and got in. Her doubts and fear grew into a bleak understanding. Everyone was dead... and now her family waged war...and there was nothing left of her...

 

\-------------------------------------------------------

The sun had begun to set, his visors gave the warning that it’d soon be okay to up topside. The sunlight was being replaced with strong beams of blood red and orange as shorter wavelengths were scattered. On the surface, shadows were casted upon the buildings from the skyscrapers. The size of these constructs were massive. At the top of the towers were glass domes extending even further upwards consisting of the building’s small parks and recreational locations. Only the wealthy could afford these vocational biodomes.

 

But down below, Carter worked. 

Sparks flew, his bare hands worked their way through the fine wires...then he heard crying. Something must have happened, or she was wounded. He dropped the helmet and stormed over to the bathroom. He opened the door with his head pointed down to avoid directly staring.

His hand was on his weapon, just touching the metal. "I heard someone, was it----"

“GET OUT!” She screamed, covering up. 

He was gone the moment she rose her voice. Within seconds she could hear sparks again; he was already sitting down, fixing the settings on his helmet once more. He heard the door lock. He looked over, pausing for a minute, then went back to his work.

He heard her sit on the other side of the door, she was quiet for a very long time.

"No shirts..." She finally said.

He listened, but didn't respond. “What she going on about now…” He placed his helmet back on. "Oh. ......oh!" He stumbled around. He had no idea what she was talking about, then it clicked. He took off his robe and slid it under the door. "Wrap it like a shirt, you can still wear a hoodie overhead that way with this."

Her hand snatched it from the cracked door and shut it, struggling to put it on. She opened the door, timidly covering herself, her hair dripping. Her eyes seemed brighter now that her face and hair were clean.

Carter was resting his back against a window, peaking out. He seemed still.

The streets were bustling with the aftermath, the city recovering and helping clean up the carnage... She tiptoed to the hoodie and quickly put it on, covering up over the poorly made dress.

He began packing. She watched him carefully, shyly keeping a safe distance from him. There were bite marks and cuts on her legs, same as his. She curiously sat in the corner.

"We're moving in an hour."

"...wh-where go...?"

"Safe place," he answered. He looked for the gutter pipes that lead down from his window. This is the best path to take. He then looked at her, then patted his shoulders. "Up. Hold on."

She looked at the window, then at him, shaking her head. "T-too high..."

"Can't risk being seen through the front doors." He waited, half expecting her not to trust him yet. She swallowed hard and wavered... then walked toward him. She heard a knock and jumped, quickly climbing onto his back. He kept quiet, opening the window. The strong airflow brought gusts of wind into the room. The temperature difference made the gust travel inward. He took a step on the railing, securing his grip.

She gasped and shut her eyes tight as he grabbed the medium pipe and began his descent. His gloves hummed and turned magnetic in nature. He climbed lower. She tried not to scream, her hands shaking as she gripped him.

He had to continue his path. "Shh," he whispered. She nodded with a tiny squeak. He reached the ground level in a dark alley. It seemed fairly clear. Everyone was distracted with trying to clean. He kept her piggyback, carrying her around the corner. He stayed in the dark, and quiet. His metal boots clanked against metal.

She shushed him. "You to loud..."

Carter groaned, he stopped.

"Why stop??" She harshly whispered. He looked around, there was trash everywhere but none of it was salvageable. He then dropped her off his back and ripped two short strips from her shirt.

She gasped and punched his chest. "No!! Bad!" She snapped.

He shook his head, wrapping them around his feet. She was blushing wildly with a livid frown, glaring at him.

 

"Shhh, remember?" He patted his back.

She growled low and took her place on his back, closing her eyes and hiding her face.

Hours passed.

Carter grew tired, each step carrying more of a limp. He was still holding Sunara when he stopped again in an alleyway. There was a large hatch door leading into an old warehouse on the outskirts of the living city. There was a radius from the city center to a point where no one bothered to venture, out here there were slim chances fresh air would be available, resources even more scarce. The city didn’t feel responsible for all of the underground, it only supplied to those close enough to the city center.

Sanura stayed on his back, too afraid to protest. Once she noticed him struggling she cleared her throat. "....M-Man?"

He lowered her down, setting her on her feet. He then stumbled over to the door, held the circular handle, and turned it. The hatch on the other side unlocked and creaked, turning inside. He kept groaning in discomfort, stepping inside and held the door open for her.

He rose a finger and bent it towards him, urging her inside after she hesitated.

She tilted her head and shuffled toward him, stopping just before entering. "...Man sick..?" 

He shook his head, "Just tired...been going for ----nevermind. C'mere," he tilted his head back while looking at her, indicting it was best to be inside.

Something smashed into the side of the building, Carter snapped and pulled out his weapon, first time he pulled it from his side. He crouched down, holding the door open and aimed towards the noise inside, but there was nothing there. She gasped and hid behind him.

There was no one, just a sheet of metal banging against the wall, "Dammit.." He holstered his weapon, shutting the door. He walked over and began repairing the wall, holding the metal sheet back up to it's proper place. He then took out a pen-sized laser pen that hissed and produced a small piece of heat and welded it back on. 

Sanura felt something's presence near here. "M-Man..." she whimpered, pressing herself against him.

Carter paused, hearing something click behind his back. He slowly turned around, but was hit in his back with the butt of a weapon, collapsing onto the floor. 


End file.
